Low Frequency

The dark wood of an acoustic ukulele caught the dim floor lamp's glow in the quiet corner. I stepped onto the wooden base of its stand and reached toward the lowest wound string stretched taut over the soundboard. With one hooked finger, I pulled the bronze coil sideways and let it release. A deep, heavy note hummed through the hollow chamber, vibrating directly beneath my feet. I did not strike it again. Leaning forward, I pressed the flat of my palm against the shivering wire until the hum dampened into complete, resonant silence.